


It's All So Very Simple

by ladyoneill



Series: Shadows Of The Moon: Full Moon Ficlets [63]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Childbirth, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 18:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1909236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyoneill/pseuds/ladyoneill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angelina gives birth to their first cub, and Derek isn't prepared for all that makes him feel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's All So Very Simple

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the fullmoon ficlet prompt: First Times. Set after "All That Truly Matters." Yes, I'm finally back to writing after vacation and then lingering health issues that have drained me of energy for months.

After nearly nine hours of labor, one hand broken half a dozen times in the grip of a pregnant werewolf, and a squall that actually made him smile, Derek cradles his newborn son in his arms, holding him close to his heart, listening to the little snuffles, scenting him.

He smells like Angelina and the birth and the freshness of a morning rain.

He's red and wrinkled with a tuft of dark brown hair at his temple and hazy bluish eyes.

He's perfect.

Derek sinks into the chair next to the bed, all his attention on his son, as the nurses clean and tend to his tired mate. He knows she's in good hands. He knows she's smiling at him and their cub.

He just can't tear his eyes away.

His heart stutters, beats faster, and emotions well up in him. For months he's been growing more content, more at peace with his life, the choices he made, with his mate who for some reason understands and tolerates his moodiness, his anger, his frustration. He's been looking forward to this day, the birth of a new generation of Hales, for the future.

He just didn't realize how much it would mean to him, what it would do to him.

To his shock, tears sting his eyes.

"Derek?" Angelina asks, concerned, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. Startled, he looks up and meets her soft green eyes, and dimly realizes they're alone. "Derek, what's wrong?"

Because there has to be something wrong, right? He's...crying.

He hasn't cried since...

God...

Lowering his head, he weeps against the top of his son's.

"Come here. Come here, Derek."

He hears her shift in the bed. It's not big enough for two adults and a baby, but he crawls in beside her, still cradling the cub, buries his face in her shoulder as one of her hands finds his back, the other their son's tiny cheek.

"Derek, it's okay," Angelina says tenderly, stroking him as he shakes with emotions he was sure he could no longer feel.

Beneath her touch he finally calms. The cub whimpers and they transfer him to her chest, settling him against her heart. Slowly Derek looks up from still watery eyes and she smiles at him in reassurance. Trying to sit up, he doesn't fight her when she won't let him, just turns on his side and carefully wraps an arm around her soft stomach. He tries to stuff back down all he's feeling, too, but that doesn't seem to work either.

He feels...different.

Light.

The cub snuffles and blinks at him.

Derek...smiles.

And murmurs, "I love you," to his mate, for the first time, because...because he does. It's all so very simple. The anger, grief, frustration, pain...once they're gone, all he can feel is the truth.

Angelina smiles back, her eyes glinting, and murmurs, "I know."

Derek laughs.

End


End file.
